Police Parade Popular Pastor Over Killing Of Kwara Student

Among those apprehended are a well-known cleric, Pastor Adebayo Adeniyi, also known as Prophet Ogunse, and his wife.

Kwara State, Nigeria – The Kwara State Police Command has arrested six individuals in connection with the murder of Ogungbenro Blessing, a female student at the College of Health and Technology, Offa.

Among those apprehended are a well-known cleric, Pastor Adebayo Adeniyi, also known as Prophet Ogunse, and his wife. The couple, who are the parents of the primary suspect, Adebayo Joshua Happiness, were taken into custody after allegedly attempting to interfere with evidence by retrieving their son’s belongings from his school.

The arrests were announced by Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Victor Olaiya, during a press briefing on Friday at the Command Headquarters in Ilorin. According to CP Olaiya, the primary suspect, Adebayo Joshua Happiness, had invited the victim, Awesu Mojisola, to what was described as a “sign-out party” at Whitefield Hotel in Ilorin, promising her a sum of ₦15,000.

The commissioner explained that on August 13, 2024, the Offa Police Station received a report from Ogungbenro Blessing, who lived in the Gbomi Area of Offa. She reported that her roommate, 21-year-old Awesu Mojisola, a graduating student of the Kwara State College of Health Technology, had gone missing under suspicious circumstances.

CP Olaiya detailed that the incident began on August 9, 2024, when Mojisola received a phone call from a fellow student, Kolawola Timileyin, who conveyed a message from the suspect, Adebayo Joshua Happiness, an expelled final-year student of Summit University, Offa. The suspect, along with his parents and other accomplices, were later identified as Adebayo Adeniyi (male), Adeniyi Bukola (female), Adeoye Adeola (male), Lawal Aminat (female), and Bulus Peter (male). An iPhone 11 Pro was among the items recovered during the investigation.

The commissioner revealed that Mojisola had traveled to Ilorin to attend the supposed party but soon grew uneasy as she discovered there was no event. She contacted friends, expressing her concern about being alone in a hotel room with Happiness, who was reportedly smoking cannabis. Shortly thereafter, her phone became unreachable, and her location remained unknown.

Following the report, police investigations led to the arrest of Happiness. Preliminary findings revealed that he had deliberately lured Mojisola to Ilorin under false pretenses, booking a hotel room with no intention of hosting any party. Further investigation uncovered that Happiness had reserved an additional room at the hotel for another female, possibly to cover up his premeditated actions.

In the early hours of August 10, 2024, Happiness allegedly murdered Mojisola, leaving her body in the hotel room, which he then locked before fleeing with her iPhone and ₦15,600 in cash. Upon returning to Offa, he reportedly hid the stolen phone in his hostel wardrobe.

The police commissioner noted that Happiness’ parents were arrested after they attempted to tamper with evidence by retrieving their son’s belongings from his school. It was discovered that Mrs. Adeniyi Bukola had removed the SIM card from the victim’s iPhone and hidden it in a wall some distance from their home. Despite the suspect’s initial claim that he had discarded the phone in the Afelele River in Offa, both the phone and SIM card were recovered from his parents.

Further investigations revealed that hotel staff, who discovered Mojisola’s body, unlawfully disposed of her remains at a refuse dump. These individuals have also been arrested and charged with criminal conspiracy and the unlawful disposal of evidence.

CP Olaiya assured the public that the investigation is ongoing and that all suspects will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The Kwara State Police Command remains dedicated to ensuring justice, peace, and security in the community, with further updates to be provided as the case progresses.